The purpose of this blog post is to create awareness about the achievable goals in both reading and writing that bilingual Kindergarten students can reach with the optimal and rigorous introduction to literacy in Spanish.
I’ve spent more than two decades teaching in Title I bilingual classrooms, witnessing firsthand that every bilingual kindergarten student can learn to read and write successfully by the end of the year.
It might seem ambitious, but with the right approach, even the students starting with the lowest skills can hit or surpass national reading benchmarks. Let me share how you can set your bilingual learners up for literacy success from day one.
Think about it this way: The national standard says that a kindergarten student needs to reach a reading level C at the end of the year. Well, what would you say if I told you my lowest students are at a level C? Each year, my classroom average typically reaches a reading level of E by the end of the year, which means that half the class exceeds this level. And writing? Take a look at this:
If I can do it, you can do it, too. Don’t expect any less. The lives of these five-year-olds are in your hands. Literally.
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
After more than twenty years teaching in Title I bilingual classrooms, I can say with confidence: every child can learn to read and write. The key is to set clear expectations and begin reading and writing practice from the very first day.
Establishing these routines early is essential for bilingual literacy success, especially for emergent bilinguals. Here’s how I lay the groundwork for reading and writing from day one with my kindergarten students.
Communicate Daily Expectations Clearly
On the first day of school, I make it clear that every student is expected to listen, speak, read, write, and think every single day. I use visual language domain cards (like these) to reinforce these five core language skills.
These cards are displayed and referenced throughout the day (and throughout the year), helping students internalize what is expected of them.
This visual support is especially helpful for bilingual learners, as it keeps the focus on language development and reduces anxiety about what comes next.
- Listening: Paying attention to stories, instructions, and classmates.
- Speaking: Sharing ideas, repeating new words, and participating in discussions.
- Reading: Recognizing letters, following along a shared reading lesson, and reading words in books.
- Writing: Practicing names, letters, and eventually sentences.
- Thinking: Reflecting on stories, making connections, and asking questions.
By stating and repeating these expectations, students are clear about what is required of them. This clarity helps create a purposeful and supportive classroom environment from the start.
On Writing on the First Day
Begin writing practice immediately. Don’t delay!
Writing practice starts on the very first day. Every student writes their first name, over and over, using correct capitalization. Simple name practice writing activities help build confidence and help students become familiar with letter formation.
I provide a variety of first-day-of-school activities, like name worksheets and crafts (link) that require students to write their names. They even sign the classroom rules or agreements, reinforcing that writing is meaningful and useful.
It’s important to focus on correct capitalization from the start—a capital letter at the beginning, lowercase for the rest. However, I intentionally delay teaching letters that go below the line (like p, q, g, j, y) for the first five to six weeks. This allows students to master basic letter shapes before adding more complex forms.
By week six, I let students know they will be expected to write both their first and last names, with a space in between. Setting this expectation early helps them prepare for the next step in their writing journey.
On Reading on the First Day
Read books to your class. Read-alouds are a must!
Students must connect with books since day one. Model how to hold a book. Talk about the story. You will start teaching phonics and phonemic awareness the next day, but the first day is for students to enjoy listening to you read.
Take a look at my favorite books for the first week of school (link).
THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL
Remember to always set firm reading and writing goals.
You must enter that classroom thinking: Everyone will be reading by November. Start teaching with this goal in mind.
-> Reading in November means reading all words by syllables, recognizing high-frequency words. Maybe it’ll be slow and chopped. Fluency and comprehension will come later.
-> Writing in November means writing something that you can “understand”. Some letters may be missing, and perhaps there aren’t any spaces, but that’s ok.
I set expectations, and I share them with the class frequently. Expectations also change as they learn. Students need to know what is expected and what is coming next. They need to know that they are working to reach these goals.
On Writing
1. Daily Handwriting PracticeOn the very first day, every student writes their first name—over and over. They sign classroom agreements, label their work, and practice on name worksheets.
After that, we practice the letter of the week, both uppercase and lowercase. After this practice, every student is expected to produce that letter correctly. Don’t be afraid to erase sloppy work. If you let it be, then the students won’t improve.
Remember, daily writing practice builds muscle memory and confidence.
2. EncodingEarly writing practice includes encoding—for example, writing the first letter of a word. We start with the letter of the week, which in bilingual kindergarten should be the vowels, and expand as new letters are introduced.
During those first weeks of vowel lessons, students learn to listen for initial sounds and connect them to written letters (vowels), a foundational reading strategy that supports both phonics and writing development.
3. Writer’s WorkshopWriter’s workshop begins with learning to draw. We must explicitly teach students how to draw a person, a face, a pet, a place, etc… At school, drawing and coloring are not just fun—they are essential for developing the motor skills needed for handwriting.
Once we are done with drawing lessons, we must encourage students to share stories about their drawings. Oral language is the base for writing (just like listening is the base for reading), so I always ask them to talk about their pictures in complete sentences before writing. This bridges speaking, drawing, and early writing practice.
Above all, give students TIME to practice writing every day.
4. Writing with PurposeFrom the start, I let students know they will be expected to use their own writing to answer questions, share opinions, and tell stories.
I explain that writing is a tool for communicating with others, not just practicing letters—and it’s certainly not something they do for their own benefit, they do it for the people around them. This sense of purpose motivates students and connects writing practice to real-life communication.
On Reading
1. Phonics and Phonemic AwarenessStart on day two. Don’t delay! Remember, the goal is for all students to be reading by November.
Phonics instruction must begin as soon as possible, focusing first on vowels in a bilingual classroom. Start phonics by teaching students about the letter Oo on the second day of school and go from there.
I teach each letter’s name and sound, and we practice recognizing both initial and final sounds in words orally (just using our ears, without looking at letters or words).
Phonemic awareness activities—like clapping syllables and identifying initial sounds—must be woven into every lesson: math, science, and social studies, too!
Phonics and phonemic awareness are skills that the foundation for reading success.
2. High Frequency Words:The glue for reading sentences.
In English, they’re sight words, but in Spanish, we call them high-frequency words. And they are important. Don’t listen to those who say they shouldn’t be taught in Spanish. Trust me, they are wrong.
High-frequency words are the glue words students need them to read sentences with the syllables they are mastering. Some of these high-frequency words won’t have letters you’ve taught so far; that’s why students need to learn them separately from the beginning.
Don’t wait until your students are learning to read syllables to teach them.
And don’t just flash them in cards—they aren’t sight words, teach students why they are read like that. Teach phonemic awareness with these words, starting with each letter sound and how to blend them into a word.
Remember, they are called high-frequency words because they appear in the text frequently.
I guarantee that, if you practice reading these words by sounding out and blending into words every day, your students will be reading syllables on the first day you introduce the letter Mm syllables.
Here’s a link to my list of Spanish High Frequency Words (link)
3. Decodable BooksWe read decodable books daily. Practice is key!
Show your students how to recognize high-frequency words in those books. Show them how to recognize and point to the letters and syllables, and how to use the pictures on the page. And then practice again!
If possible, provide copies of these decodable books to the students so they can practice every day (did I mention they NEED to have a book box, bag, or bin to store these books?). Teach them how to read the books. Teach them how to practice every day on their own.
They don’t go to school just knowing those things.
You can take a look at the Spanish decodable books I offer here.
4. Independent Reading
Students need to have time to read independently starting the first week of school.
It’s important to get students used to reading every morning as they arrive. Pave the way to teach them how to do that starting on the second week to school by teaching them how to practice reading on their own with what they are learning (even if it’s just one vowel and one high-frequency word).
Students don’t know how to read independently, so you’ll have to teach them how. That’s why it’s important that they have a variety of books in their reading level to choose from every day, a combination of books from the classroom library (link), decodable books (link), library books, and even a reading notebook.
Don’t delay instruction.
Remember, you must start from the mindset that every student in your class needs to be reading by November. If you believe it can happen, if you allow your students to practice, and if you follow the correct steps to teaching Spanish literacy, your students will show it. I guarantee it.
Once you have those Fall parent conferences, you should be able to tell all parents how their children are reading and writing. By that day, you should know exactly what they need to practice to get to the next level and how to help them at home.
Don’t waste this opportunity. We can help all children get the tools they need to succeed.
In conclusion, start strong with clear expectations from day one. Practice daily reading and writing in varied ways, teach phonics and high-frequency words early, and use decodable books to build accuracy and fluency. Make independent reading part of the routine from the start and keep all students on track to read by November. With purposeful routines and consistent practice, bilingual kindergarteners can thrive as readers and writers.